Branching 2016 S PRIN G N E W S L E TTE R
You Gave Me A Place to Call Home U.S. Army Veteran Michael moves off the streets to affordable housing and friends. Now he wants to give back by telling his story.
IN THIS ISSUE Sharing Hope
La Mesita Family Shelter is nearing completion
You Make It Happen 2015 Outcomes. How your contributions helped others
Happy Volunteers ASU Students make a difference
You make it happen We offer our heartfelt thanks for the lives we are able to change every day because of the generous support of friends like you. The need is still greater than ever, but with your support, we can continue to provide the help and the hope that many individuals and families so desperately need. Here are the outcomes of your donations in 2015:
300
21,140 individuals served
entered our Rapid Re-housing Program
victims of domestic violence found safety and a voice
(doubled from the previous year)
2015 O U T COMES
150K
nights of shelter for children and adults
6,197
reached out through our domestic violence crisis hotline and were connected to a real person
5,757
youth received behavioral health intervention
4,869
CHILDREN
found safety through our foster care programs
HOMELESS
2,615
222
individuals and families received help with rent or utilities through our MesaCAN program
Thank you
for your support.
140
STUDENTS
received education assistance through our IDA program
You Gave Me A Place To Call Home
The Journey to Independence Beyond Emergency Housing U.S. Army Veteran Michael moves off the streets to affordable housing and friends.
M
ichael spent many proud years serving his country in the armed services. But then a perfect storm of bad luck changed everything. He lost his job, his marriage, and his home. To cope, he started drinking heavily. Eventually, Michael received a DUI sentence that resulted in a summer-long stint in jail. Jail sobered him up. But when Michael was released he had no vehicle. His divorce left him without a support network — and without a home.
I owe everything to
A New Leaf. – Michael
Then, Michael discovered A New Leaf’s La Mesita Apartments, a housing complex for low-income individuals and the chronically homeless. He learned about it through a newspaper article and he contacted the City of Mesa to seek a voucher to enable him to find a safe, stable home. He was overjoyed when he was accepted into La Mesita Apartments.
He had lost everything.
Thanks to the support of friends like you, Michael found hope again.
“I was at a low point in my life,” he explains. “I didn’t trust anyone so I had to rely on myself. It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done.” He lived outside for a year, using public facilities for bathing and basic necessities.
“I like having a roof over my head,” he says. “I’m a survivor. I learned that you can do anything you put your mind to do. I’m very grateful for what I have now.” With his immediate needs met, he is working hard to rebuild his life again.
As a 60-year-old veteran, Michael did have the skills to cope with adversity. “I learned a lot from my time in service,” he says. “I could get by on little food and the clothes on my back.” Michael walked everywhere in triple digit heat. He scavenged for food. He slept in the park, in alleys, on trails, anywhere he could lay his head. Michael was alone and lonely.
He still likes to spend time outdoors and arises at 5 am to walk to Jack in the Box for his morning coffee. He has made many friends at the La Mesita Campus and the staff speaks fondly of him.
“I was pretty desperate,” he says. “You never know how bad it can get, until you are homeless with no shelter or belongings.”
turnanewleaf.org
“I owe everything to A New Leaf,” Michael says. Now he wants to give back by telling his story. People can wait for housing for several years. You can help change that. This newsletter can show you how. To learn more about us, please visit our website at turnanewleaf.org
The
La Mesita “Sharing Hope” Capital and Family Services Campaign
A
New Leaf launched its “Sharing Hope” Capital Campaign in September 2013, mobilizing community support for the construction and operation of the La Mesita Emergency Family Homeless Shelter. With leadership from Campaign Co-Chairs Trey and LeAnn Basha and the dedicated Campaign Cabinet, A New Leaf and its volunteers have raised awareness of the homeless crisis affecting Arizona and generated funds to support the La Mesita Family Shelter. We are happy to report that the campaign is almost finished with less than $583,000 of the target goal of $11.5 million left to raise. Construction of the shelter began in the Spring of 2014 and was completed in March 2015. The 16-unit shelter is the only shelter in the East Valley that provides housing to families with children. The life-saving facility provides an array of services to ensure a safe path out of homelessness for families in crisis. The third and final phase of construction will begin later this spring that will create 30 additional family housing units. The support of the community has been phenomenal. A New Leaf’s “Sharing Hope”
Campaign Progress campaign has energized our donors and partners while revitalizing the Mesa Corridor. As part of the La Mesita Campus, the family homeless shelter serves as a lasting source of pride for A New Leaf’s staff and volunteers. Donors, volunteers and staff will celebrate this successful campaign at the 32nd Annual Camaraderie Gala on Saturday, March 12. This special event will be held at the Omni Scottsdale Resort & Spa at Montelucia. More information on the event and the La Mesita “Sharing Hope” campaign can be found on our website at turnanewleaf.org.
La Mesita’s official ground breaking!
$10,917,375
$8,917,658
$6,969,223
$733,000
Did You Know...
A New Leaf’s La Mesita’s After School Program provides life skills training and development, homework assistance social skills training and mentoring development and behavioral health prevention through: supervision support
$11,500,000
$4,312,817
Happy Learning
computer experience
GOAL
structure
field trips
Many supporters are considering leaving a portion (%) of their IRA to A New Leaf? Some are leaving 90% to their family and 10% to A New Leaf. When we inherit from an IRA, you owe no tax on the proceeds. If you would like more information about this “planned tax–efficient gift” which will help us continue our mission of Helping Families...Changing Lives, please call Deb at 480.450.3028.
You Inspire Us And the winner is… Douglas Jackson Out of four veteran applicants who reside in A New Leaf’s East Valley Men’s Center, it was Douglas Jackson’s heartfelt letter that won him a van. In it, he detailed his inspiring journey from service in the First Gulf War, to post traumatic stress disorder, a divorce, alcoholism and eventually homelessness. When asked to read his letter, hardly a dry eye was left in the building.
Onlookers expressed great pleasure participating in such an inspiring moment. Appreciation was extended to the vehicle donor, Richard Thompson, Valley Express Towing and Mesa Chamber of Commerce for providing Jackson with another resource to help ensure his journey to independence. Moments like these remind us of the goodness found in humanity.
Drew Trojanowski, Mesa Chamber of Commerce, Douglas Jackson & Sally Harrison, Executive Director of Mesa Chamber of Commerce.
Happy Volunteers ASU Changemakers, Student Volunteers come together frequently to spiff up our La Mesita Campus. These young adults make hours of hard work and creative fundraising endeavors feel playful and rewarding. Their efforts continue to enhance our properties and our services. We’ve become attached to their glowing personalities and huge smiles. GO DEVILS!
The ICE-ing on the cake International Cruise & Excursions, Inc. (ICE), headquartered in Scottsdale, has been bringing smiles to the kiddos in A New Leaf shelter programs in many ways for many years. From supporting our fundraising events to providing truckloads of holiday gifts and school supplies, they enthusiastically meet the needs of our shelter kids. ICE is appreciated and respected for numerous reasons. Their handson employee participation demonstrates a sincere commitment to making a difference. A New Leaf is honored to be one of their charities of choice.
You Can Help Give the gift of new found hope, new beginnings, growth and change for individuals and families in need. Remove the envelope to find out how.
5 Reasons Why 1 2 3
A New Leaf fully maximizes your donations for the greatest impact
4
Approximately 29,000 people experienced homelessness in Arizona last year; 40% were families with children—you help make a difference
5
We are changing the future of our community one person/family at a time
You help to keep vulnerable populations off the streets (women and children) You allow our programs to provide critical services that help families get back on their feet
3 Ways How
Become a monthly giver
Volunteer your time
Coordinate a basic needs drive in your neighborhood
Visit our website at turnanewleaf.org to donate and for more ways to help.
For a digital version of this issue, please visit turnanewleaf.org/newsletter 2 0 1 6 S PR I N G N E W S L ETTER
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